Understanding Houston

Author: Nadia Valliani

  • Progress and Tensions: What Education Data Tell Us as Students Return to School in Houston

    Progress and Tensions: What Education Data Tell Us as Students Return to School in Houston

    Understanding Houston recently updated the Education topic with latest available data, revealing new key findings. Here are the five most important insights and trends to know.

    As more than a million students across Greater Houston return to classrooms, it’s a fitting moment for a pulse check on how the region’s schools and students are doing. Explore the updated Education data on Understanding Houston to gain fresh insights on early learning, academic outcomes, graduation, attainment, and the path beyond high school. Our analysis found real progress worth celebrating, especially in the earliest grades, alongside challenges that continue.

    Across the education pipeline, several indicators are moving in a positive direction. Early learning measures show improvement, with expanded access to full-day pre-K and kindergarten readiness remaining above pre-pandemic levels. Reading proficiency, postsecondary and workforce readiness, and adult educational attainment have also increased.

    At the same time, the data reveal a more nuanced story. Enrollment patterns are shifting across the region. Math proficiency rates have not recovered from COVID learning losses to the same degree as reading. The share of graduates directly enrolling in an in-state college has declined even as readiness indicators have improved. And disparities continue to shape outcomes from early childhood through adulthood.

    Taken together, these findings provide a timely look at where education in Houston’s three-county region stands as a new school year begins, highlighting both areas of progress and opportunities for continued improvement.

    1. Stronger Foundations for Houston’s Youngest Learners

    Some of the most encouraging findings appear at the beginning of the education journey.

    Over the past decade, Houston-area schools have significantly expanded access to full-day pre-K. By the 2024–25 school year, every pre-K student in Fort Bend County was enrolled in a full-day program, compared to 88% in Harris and Montgomery counties. Since 2015–16, the share of students enrolled in full-day pre-K has increased substantially across the region.

    Kindergarten readiness data also suggest positive momentum.

    In 2024–25, 57% of Houston-area kindergarten students were considered “kindergarten ready,” compared with 51% statewide. Houston’s three-county region is now performing above pre-pandemic levels, while Texas overall remains below its pre-pandemic benchmark.

    These gains are particularly notable given Texas’ level of investment in early childhood education. Texas spent $4,395 per child on pre-K in 2024–25, about 46% less per child than the national average of $8,124 nationally, placing the state 37th among all states and D.C. on this measure.

    Collectively, these indicators suggest many children are entering elementary school with stronger foundations than they did just a few years ago.

    Explore more early childhood education outcomes

    2. Enrollment Trends Reflect a Changing Region

    While measures of early childhood readiness show encouraging signs, enrollment patterns reveal a different dynamic.

    Both Fort Bend and Montgomery counties have experienced growth in pre-K, kindergarten, and overall public-school enrollment counts, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in many cases. Harris County, however, continues to experience enrollment declines that began before the pandemic. Public school enrollment in Harris County remains below 2019–20 levels, and kindergarten enrollment continues a longer-term downward trend.

    These patterns likely reflect broader demographic changes occurring across Houston’s three-county region as we see more families leaving Harris County for neighboring suburban counties. Public school enrollment matters because it affects district planning, staffing, facilities, transportation, and funding allocations.

    The 2026–27 school year is the first year families could utilize funds through the Texas Education Freedom Accounts, a program made possible through the passage of Texas Senate Bill 2 in the 2025 Legislative Session. The most recent data from the comptroller’s office show that only 30% of families who were awarded a voucher had attended public school during the 2024–25 academic year. It is too early to determine how the program will affect public school enrollment over time.

    Explore more enrollment data

    3. Reading Recovery Is Outpacing Math Recovery

    One of the clearest themes across the updated data is that academic recovery from COVID learning losses has not occurred evenly across subject areas.

    The share of third graders meeting or exceeding grade-level reading standards in Houston’s three-county region reached a seven-year high in 2025 at 53%. This is about 11 percentage points higher than in 2018 and even exceeds pre-pandemic levels across the region. Fort Bend, Harris, and Montgomery counties have all seen improvements, and many student groups experienced gains during this period.

    In Fort Bend County, third grade reading proficiency climbed from 52% in 2018 to 63% in 2025, a seven-year high.

    Math outcomes indicate a less encouraging story.

    Although eighth-grade math proficiency rates have improved since pandemic-era lows, they remain below pre-pandemic levels. In 2025, 51% of eighth graders in the Houston region met grade-level standards in math, well below the peak reached in 2019. Algebra outcomes show a similar pattern, with performance remaining below pre-pandemic levels in all three counties.

    The math data also highlight persistent disparities. In Montgomery County, economically disadvantaged students trail their more economically secure peers by 32 percentage points on eighth-grade math performance. Similar gaps exist in Fort Bend and Harris counties and underscore the importance of continuing to support students who face the greatest barriers to academic success.

    Explore performance on more academic outcomes

    4. More Students Are Leaving High School Prepared for What Comes Next

    The data offer encouraging evidence that a larger share of Houston-area students graduate from high school equipped for future opportunities.

    Approximately 80% of graduates in Houston’s three-county region are now classified as college, career, or military ready compared with 66% in 2018. Readiness rates for higher education specifically have also increased, with roughly 70% of graduates in 2024 meeting state-defined college-ready criteria from 53% in 2018.

    About 80% of Houston-area students in 2024 graduated from high school prepared for college, a career, or the military.

    High school graduation rates remain another area of strength.

    Graduation rates in Fort Bend and Montgomery counties exceed 90%, while Harris County’s graduation rate has steadily improved over the past decade, reaching 89% in 2024. Texas’s graduation rate also compares favorably nationally, ranking 11th among states and Washington, D.C. in 2024, according to the National Center for Education Statistics’ slightly different methodology.

    These indicators suggest that a larger share of students finish high school having met benchmarks associated with future success in higher education, workforce training, or military service.

    Dig into college readiness rates

    5. Postsecondary Pathways Are More Complex

    Perhaps one of the most surprising findings in the updated data is what happens after high school.

     Despite improved readiness indicators, high school graduates are less likely than they were several years ago to enroll directly in an in-state two- or four-year college after graduation. Less than half of Houston-area public high school graduates in 2024 directly enrolled in a college or university in Texas immediately after high school; and direct college-going rates have declined in each Houston-area county since 2017, a trend we see at the state level as well.

    A larger share of students are graduating ready for life after high school, while a smaller share are enrolling directly in in-state colleges.

    The data alone do not explain why these trends are occurring simultaneously, but they do highlight the importance of understanding the wide range of pathways students pursue after high school, including four-year universities, community colleges, workforce credentials, apprenticeships, military service, and other forms of postsecondary preparation.

    Yet disparities remain visible throughout the education pipeline. Differences by income, race/ethnicity, and gender continue to appear in academic achievement, postsecondary enrollment and completion, and adult educational attainment.

    While overall postsecondary outcomes have improved, not all residents have benefited equally from that progress. Among the cohort of Houston-area students enrolled in eighth grade in 2014–15, 22% of Black and Hispanic students completed a postsecondary credential by the time they were 25 (11 years later), compared with 40% of their white peers; and economically disadvantaged students finish at rates 21 to 26 points lower than students classified as not-economically-disadvantaged across the three counties. Gender disparities exist as well: young women in the region earn credentials at rates 11 to 12 points higher than young men.

    Only about one in four of the region’s eighth graders earns a postsecondary credential within six years of finishing high school.

    Closing the gaps between college preparation and completion remains one of the region’s clearest opportunities. While the data show more students are graduating ready for college, career, or military service, they also reveal that many students still face challenges enrolling in and completing postsecondary education.

    See where high school grads are enrolling in higher ed

    What the Data Makes Clear

    As a new school year begins, Houston’s education data offer evidence of both progress and important tensions.

    Progress worth celebrating:

    • Students are entering school with stronger foundations.
    • The share of students meeting grade-level reading standards has increased.
    • A larger share of high school graduates are meeting readiness benchmarks.
    • Adults across the region continue to achieve higher levels of education than previous generations.

    These gains occurred alongside the efforts of educators, families, school districts, higher education institutions, nonprofits, employers, and community partners working to expand opportunity throughout Greater Houston.

    Areas to Monitor:

    • Shifting enrollment patterns  
    • Math proficiency rates
    • Direct college-going rates
    • Long-standing disparities

    Supporting Student Success

    The findings highlight an important area to watch: Although readiness indicators have improved, postsecondary enrollment and completion outcomes continue to lag for many students. Common barriers can include the cost of education, navigating complex application and enrollment processes, balancing school with work and family responsibilities, and accessing the guidance and support needed to stay on track.

    Fortunately, communities across the region are responding through a range of strategies, including scholarship programs, college and career advising, workforce training opportunities, student support services, and initiatives designed to improve persistence and completion. These efforts recognize that preparing students for life after high school is only part of the equation; helping them successfully complete their chosen pathway is equally important.

    Greater Houston Community Foundation supports this work through scholarship programs and strategic investments that help expand educational opportunity and student success. Learn how the Community Foundation’s scholarships can support students pursuing higher education, and explore initiatives such as Promise @ San Jac and BridgeYear’s Career Cohorts that are helping students build pathways to long-term success.

    Understanding the future of education in Greater Houston begins with understanding the data. Explore Understanding Houston’s updated Education pages to dive deeper into these trends, interact with the charts, and learn more about how educational experiences and outcomes vary across our region.

    The more we understand where progress is occurring and where tensions remain, the better equipped we will be to strengthen opportunities for all learners.

    Bring the data to your organization. If your organization, board, or community group would like a deeper look at education trends and outcomes across Greater Houston, Understanding Houston can provide data presentations tailored to your audience. Contact us to learn more.

    Visit Understanding Houston to explore the data across all five education topic pages, including county-level comparisons, trend lines, and context for each indicator.

    Subscribe to the Understanding Houston newsletter to stay informed.

    Understanding Houston is a collaborative initiative led by Greater Houston Community Foundation, designed to provide the data and insights needed to build a region where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

    Explore key issues shaping quality of life across Houston’s three largest counties—and what it takes to move the region forward—at understandinghouston.org.

    Want to go deeper? Join us for an upcoming Economic Mobility Learning Series webinar, featuring proven and emerging approaches to advancing economic mobility.

  • Houston’s Housing Squeeze: 5 Insights from the Data

    Houston’s Housing Squeeze: 5 Insights from the Data

    Understanding Houston recently updated the Housing topic with latest available data, revealing new key findings. Here are the five most important insights and trends to know.

    Houston still has a reputation for affordability,  but the latest numbers show that for many families, that promise is slipping away. The 2026 Kinder Houston Area Survey from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University found that Houston-area residents identified the cost of housing to be the third “biggest problem” residents face. Rising costs, widening racial disparities, and a surge in evictions are reshaping where people live and how securely.

    Here are five findings from the most recent data that deserve your attention.

    1. The suburbs aren’t just for homeowners anymore.

    For decades, moving to Fort Bend or Montgomery counties meant buying a more affordable house. That’s no longer the default. For many families, that shift looks like renting in a community they once expected to buy into—prioritizing proximity to schools, jobs, or family over ownership timelines.

    Between 2010 and 2024, the number of renters grew by 85% in Fort Bend and 90% in Montgomery County, growth rates that outpaced the rise in homeowners in both counties.

    As home prices rise and first-time homeownership becomes less attainable, more suburban families are renting—either by choice or necessity. This shift has major implications for housing policy, disaster resilience, and long-term wealth-building.

    Despite this growth, households in Fort Bend (76%) and Montgomery (71%) counties are still more likely to own than rent compared to those in Harris County (54%).

    Explore the data on homeownership and renting trends.

    2. The Black-white homeownership gap is growing.

    American families that own their homes have a median net worth of nearly $400,000 compared to $10,400 for renters. Homeownership remains one of the most reliable pathways to building intergenerational wealth, but its reach remains deeply unequal as the legacy of redlining and discriminatory lending has only deepened over time. Understanding where these gaps are widening, and why, is essential to addressing one of the region’s most persistent challenges.

    About 72% of white households in Houston’s three-county region were homeowners in 2024, compared with 40% of Black households—a 32-percentage-point gap. The gap between white and Black homeownership has widened since 2010, driven entirely by declines in homeownership rates among Black households as rates for white households remained unchanged. Since 2010, the disparity in homeownership rates between white and Black households has widened by 6 percentage points in Fort Bend County, 7 points in Harris County, and 11 points in Montgomery County.

    Dig into the homeownership data by demographic characteristics.

    3. Houston-area home values have risen faster than the national average.

    Houston’s affordability reputation is under real pressure as rising housing prices have outpace incomes. The result is a widening gap that makes the dream of first-time homeownership harder to reach for the average Houstonian than it was a decade ago. For first-time buyers, that often means adjusting expectations—renting instead, delaying purchase, looking in new neighborhoods, or partnering with family to make homeownership possible.

    Between 2010 and 2024, median home values increased by 39% nationally compared with 70% in Texas. Despite this faster growth, the median home value in Texas is consistently lower than in the U.S. Locally, the median home value rose 61% in Fort Bend County, 58% in Harris County, and 58% in Montgomery County between 2010 and 2024.

    In 2024, median home values in the region were highest in Fort Bend County ($408,100). Median home values in Montgomery County were similar to that of the U.S. at around $360,000. The median home value in Harris County was $301,700, which was just below the state median value of $313,200.

    See how local home values compare to state and national trends.

    4. Renters are bearing the brunt of rising housing costs.

    Since the pandemic, the cost of housing has surged in most major metros. However, housing costs aren’t rising equally for everyone in Houston.

    Between 2010 and 2024, median monthly rent increased 17% in Fort Bend County and 20% in Harris County, while monthly housing payments for homeowners actually fell 2% in Fort Bend County and 7% in Harris County. Both rent and homeowner payments increased in Montgomery County by 31% and 7%, respectively. Fort Bend County had the highest medium gross rent in 2024 at $1,823 followed by Montgomery County at $1,595. Median rent in Harris County was slightly lower at $1,444.

    The consequences are serious: more than half of Houston-area renters spend more than the recommended 30% of income on housing, up five percentage points since 2010. And, more than one in four renters spend at least 50% of their income on housing costs. That can leave little room for nutritious food, healthcare, quality childcare, or any financial cushion when emergencies arise. The common adage “the rent eats first,” rings true as many households double-up, take on additional work, and make tradeoffs in other parts of their budget—clear signs of both strain and tenacity.

    Explore the full picture on housing cost burden.

    5. Evictions have surged well past pre-pandemic levels.

    One of the clearest signals of strain for Houston-area renters is the rise in eviction filings following the end of COVID-era protections. Eviction doesn’t just displace families, it creates barriers to finding stable housing in the future, disrupts children’s schooling, and strains community support systems. With renters increasingly cost-burdened and fewer safety nets in place, the region’s most housing-insecure residents are especially vulnerable.

    Local eviction filings began to surpass their pre-pandemic levels in January 2022, and in 2025, eviction filings in the Houston area reached 77,000, compared to a pre-pandemic yearly total of around 58,000.

    Learn more about housing vulnerabilities in the Houston region.

    What the Data Makes Clear

    Taken together, these findings suggest a region with growing housing insecurity. Nearly 883,600 households across Houston’s three-county region, or 37%, are burdened by monthly housing costs, with renters twice as likely as homeowners to be cost burdened. Behind these numbers are families making difficult choices—balancing housing, the cost of food, childcare, and work while trying to maintain stability and opportunity.

    Like other large metros in the nation, Houston’s housing challenges are not easing, and our most vulnerable residents continue to struggle. Families in Houston need more affordable housing in mixed-income neighborhoods that offer high-quality public school education, access to good jobs that pay family sustaining wages, and safe streets that allow neighbors to interact and develop relationships.

    Visit Understanding Houston to explore the data across both housing topic pages, including county-level comparisons, trend lines, and context for each indicator.

    What Houston is Doing

    The data is sobering, but the work to address it is already underway. A few efforts worth knowing:

    • The Houston-Harris County Housing Affordability Strategy is a joint City-County initiative developing a data-driven, comprehensive plan to address the region’s housing challenges.
    • The Houston Land Bank transforms vacant and underutilized properties into affordable homes by partnering with homebuyers, builders, and community organizations to help families move into stable housing and strengthen neighborhoods across Houston.
    • The Houston Land Trust connects limited-income households with permanently affordable housing and provides ongoing stewardship to support long-term homeownership stability, giving more residents the chance to build long-term stability in the neighborhoods they call home.

    Understanding Houston is a collaborative initiative led by Greater Houston Community Foundation, designed to provide the data and insights needed to build a region where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

    Explore key issues shaping quality of life across Houston’s three largest counties—and what it takes to move the region forward—at understandinghouston.org.

    Want to go deeper? Join us for an upcoming Economic Mobility Learning Series webinar, featuring proven and emerging approaches to advancing economic mobility.